Crepis tianshanica is an insufficiently known species due to the lack of mature achenes in the single collection known. For the time being, we follow the generic assignment to Crepis by Sennikov (Byull. Moskovsk. Obshch. Isp. Prir., Otd. Biol. 105: 66-69. 2000), rather than to Askellia ("ex affinitate C. flexuosae," C. Shih, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 33: 190. 1995) or Youngia (D. Maity & Maity, Compositae Newslett. 48: 33. 2010, under Pseudoyoungia).